Bombalurinasara…I have failed…
Fiyero unrolled the little piece of paper and read the single line of handwritten text.
"Akrat tuv kara'te?" He read experimentally, then looked up at Deverig. "Did I say that right?"
"Akret tuv kara'ta" Deverig corrected. "And then you say her name."
"And you're sure this is a real spell?" Fiyero looked closely at the letters as if they would suddenly form into something that made more sense.
"Absolutely. Everlasting love," Deverig assured the prince. "She'll be falling at your feet." Fiyero clapped Deverig on the back.
"You're a good man," he said, then rolled up the paper and left. Deverig couldn't help but smile at his little plan. That 'spell' was actually a Munchkin obscenity if said it just right.
"Toss, toss," Elphaba muttered as she tried again to flip her hair. Galinda was out at the annual Ozma Girl club gathering, leaving Elphaba alone to go through classes and get notes for her.
"And remember to find time to practice the hair toss!" Galinda had ordered as she ran out the door with easily two years archived copies of Ozma Girl magazine. Elphaba had promised, and was using the few minutes before class so she could tell Galinda she did indeed practice. It wasn't that hard, but Elphaba's hair didn't really flip, it sort of swished. Elphaba noticed Fiyero standing not too far away, watching her smugly.
"What? What are you looking at?" Elphaba stopped her hair flipping and challenged his gaze. Fiyero tactfully looked at his shoes, but still remained overconfident.
"Nothing," He looked up again. "I've been thinking about how you were...Galindafied."
"You think?" Elphaba said disbelievingly. Thinking guys were kind of cute…they had depth...
"When I have to," Fiyero tried out his trademark smile again. So he doesn't think. Elphaba pondered. That's never good. The beginnings of their conversation were interrupted by Dr. Dillamond. He looked flustered and anxious, wringing his hooves, which is very difficult for an Animal to do.
"Alright, take your seats, class! I have something to say, and very little time to say it." Dr. Dillamond paused, still not believing what he was about to have to say. "This is my last day here at Shiz. I am no longer permitted to teach." The Goat looked out sadly among the students as the reality of the situation sank in. "I want to thank you for sharing your enthusiasm, your essays, no matter how feebly structured, and even, on occasion, your lunch." He looked deliberately at Elphaba. Madame Morrible and two shrewdly menacing men entered the class.
"Doctor Dillamond, I am so dreadfully sorry," The headmistress said sympathetically.
"Madame, this isn't right." Elphaba stood up. Students stared at her for a few seconds, as the realization of what she was doing set in. Deverig and Fiyero tied for second to stand. Then a fourth student stood. And a fifth. The trickle became a flood as more and more students stood to protest the removal of Dr. Dillamond.
"I'm honored, class." Dr. Dillamond looked out at the small sea of familiar faces.
"Students, sit down!" Madame Morrible commanded. Not one person moved. "I may add that this is due to a Supreme Decree from his Ozness, The Wizard! Animals are no longer permitted to teach human students!" A few hesitant protesters sat down.
"Dr. Dillamond was sent a formal request to comply with the law, and as he refused to leave, action is being taken!" More joined their classmates on the bench.
"And although you may question the clearly undoubtable reason of our beloved Wizard, whom has led us into prosperity for so long, know that he must sometimes make misconscrutible decisions perceived as unfairness!" Only Elphaba, Fiyero, and Deverig were left, the two boys daring each other to desert Elphaba first in comparison to the hard reason of Madame Morrible.
"I may be forced to suspend or even expel students who support this highly illegal resistance!" Deverig and Fiyero, pain playing across their faces at this ultimatum, joined the seated students in unison, trying to believe the other sat down first. "Miss Elphaba, I expected better from you." Madame Morrible looked sadly at her preferred sorcery student.
"Continue with class, but I won't sit." Elphaba said coldly, never moving to sit down. Madame Morrible glanced down, trying to signal Elphaba to sit. The jade girl's stance could have been made of stone.
"There will be consequences, Miss Elphaba, if you do not sit down." Madame Morrible said.
"Elphaba, please." Fiyero pleaded. Elphaba bent and sat down slowly, never taking her eyes off of her headmistress.
"Thank you," Madame Morrible nodded to the two men, who took Dr. Dillamond by either leg. (Arm. Thing. You get it.)
"Come on, goat," One man said, making it clear he was referring to a goat instead of a Goat. The doctor stiffened to being handled in such a way.
"They're not telling you the whole story! Remember that, students! Remember that!" The men dragged Dr. Dillamond out the door, not paying much attention to his protests.
"Dr. Dillamond!" Elphaba was on her feet again, forced to watch helplessly as Dr. Dillamond was taken away. "We could have changed this." She turned on her classmates. "And we chose to sit in silence!" Elphaba's honest accusation made the class shifted guiltily.
"Because there was nothing you could have done." Madame Morrible declared superiorly. She motioned for a third man to enter from the hallway. He pushed a very threatening-looking table on wheels, comprised entirely of metal.
"Good afternoon, students!" He said jovially, as if the previous teacher had not just been forcefully removed. A few half-hearted greetings mumbled response. "Every day, with every tick of the Time Dragon Clock, in every corner of our great Oz, one hears the silence of progress. For example: this is called a cage!" He pulled a black cover off of a metal mesh box, punishing wires criss-crossing each other to keep a small Lion cub from escaping. Elphaba could see the spark of intelligence in its eyes, but was chilled to see the spark flicker, leaving the eyes dumb for frightening moments, each darkness lasting longer and longer each time it happened. The man began poking at the cub with long metal objects, each more terrible than the last.
"Now, we will be seeing more and more of them in the near future. This remarkable innovation is actually for the Animal's own good..."
"If it's for its own good, why is it trembling?" Elphaba's voice quivered in disgust at the treatment of the Animal. The man stared apathetically at the cub for a few seconds, trying to come up with a plausible answer.
"He's just excited to be here, that's all." Came the curt reply, not really interested in what the question was. " Now, as I was saying, one of the benefits of caging a Lion cub this young is that he never, in fact, will learn how to speak." Whispering began as students contemplated what it would be like if Animal's didn't talk. Elphaba immediately remembered Dr. Dillamond.
"No..." She said to herself. Students began to investigate the strange contraption so acclaimed by the newcomer.
"That's right! Come closer!" He urged, snapping at the Lion cub again. Fiyero took one step toward the table, his brain trying to comprehend how something that scared that cub so much could be for his own good. Elphaba stopped him, practically pulling him away from the thing.
"Can you imagine a world where Animals are kept in...cages?" Her hands started shaking involuntarily. "And they never speak?!" The man was obscured by the students, completely blocking out view of the cub.
"Now, he may seem a bit agitated, but that's easily remedied..." Something clicked repeatedly, metal on metal.
"What can I do?" Elphaba tried to see the cub again without having to go near the cage.
"I don't know..." Fiyero was trying to think, but his head was starting to hurt.
"Well?! Someone has to...do something!" Electricity again, surging through her more powerfully than she had ever felt it before. The students and new teacher were thrown backwards from the cage, all moving painfully. An unheard rage spoke in Elphaba, fueling the escaped magic.
How would you feel if someone kept you in a cage...? It wondered cruelly, and students began jerking, as if someone was beating their stiff forms into new positions.
"What's happening?" Fiyero said, eyes wide at the force possessing the class. Except him.
"I don't know, I got mad, and then..." She gestured around her at the class, still being punished by Elphaba's spell.
"Okay, don't move..." Fiyero had to come up with a plan quickly, which would still be pretty slowly. "And don't get mad at me." Fiyero took the cage off of the table and headed for the door. Students began to scream softly in pain. Elphaba stared at the mess she had made. This was terrible, and the consequences much worse.
"Well, are you coming?!" Fiyero shouted over the growing din. Elphaba followed him, both sprinting through the halls before neighboring classrooms noticed them or the noise. The only thought was to run, to get far away from the classroom. Eventually, they found themselves near the lake and bridge. The urge to run lessened, and Elphaba found words.
"Careful! Don't shake him!" She said breathlessly, slowing down near the edge of the lake.
"I'm not!" Fiyero insisted, setting down the cage so he couldn't. Elphaba misinterpreted his precaution.
"We can't just let him loose anywhere, you know! We need to find someplace safe!"
"I realize that!" Fiyero looked down at the ground as Elphaba took the cage to check on the cub. "You must think I'm really stupid, don't you?" He said more quietly, the reason of her resistance to his attempts becoming clearer.
"No, not really stupid," She said absently, absorbed in the cub and not really registering the tone of his question.
"No?" He said disbelievingly. She probably could still like him..."Then what am I?" She looked up, giving him the strange scrutinizing look when she was trying to see past something.
"Well," She stood up, leaving the cub for a minute. "I'll tell you the one thing you don't know about yourself. You could have walked away back there. So no matter how shallow and self-absorbed you pretend to be-"
"There's no pretense here." Fiyero fell into automatic mode, denying any claims of his intelligence. "I happen to be genuinely self-absorbed and deeply shallow." Her expression remained unchanging as she saw past his facade.
"No, you're not." Fiyero's heart sped up nervously. "Or you wouldn't be so unhappy." Was he? Did he want to be this way?
"W-we came here to rescue the cub, not pick each other apart," Fiyero reached for the cage.
"No, wait-" She reached for the cage herself, their hands landing together on top of the handle. Instantly, both blushed. Elphaba pulled her hand away. They stood there nervously for a few seconds. No, stop it, Elphaba! You promised Galinda! She bent down by the cub to hide her face.
"Its heart is racing..." So is mine. Both thought without realizing it. "I didn't mean to...to..."
"What did you mean to do?" Fiyero crouched down next to her. "And why was I the only one you didn't do it to?" Why was Fiyero the only one your spell didn't affect?
Because you love him. Elphaba looked up at him. No!
"Oh...look! You're bleeding," She had to stop thinking like that, get those thoughts out of her head! "It must have scratched you."
"Yeah...or maybe it scratched me or something..." Fiyero said stupidly, lost while looking into Elphaba's eyes. She brought her hand to his cheek to wipe the blood away. She felt her fingers heat up as they touched him, a very pleasant sensation. She had never felt this before with a boy. Fiyero put his hand on hers, moving his fingers across hers gently. Elphaba pulled away quickly, realizing what was happening. You are being the worst friend in the world! She stood up.
"The cub!" She said, not looking at Fiyero. "We need to get the cub to safety..." Fiyero stared up at her, hurt playing all over his face, unmoving. "Well, are you going to leave it sitting there?!" Finally, he got the message. He picked up the cub's cage.
"Goodbye, Elphaba." Fiyero said stiffly, then left as quickly as he could without bouncing the cage.
"Goodbye, Fiyero," she said softly, beating herself up for ever even thinking about Fiyero like that.
What is so wrong about this? You deserve each other. You felt it.
Just because your fingers warm up doesn't mean he's the one! And there's Galinda to consider!
If you just explained to her-
No! She'll think I betrayed her! Which I am doing, even thinking about him that way!
But you love him.
He and GALINDA deserve each other! End of story! There's nothing else!
She slumped down in the coarse grass, battling herself for what she wanted and what she knew was right.
There was a time you could have had him. The voice in her head said. Elphaba remembered the OzDust, and everything that had happened. Fiyero danced with her. Waited on her. Wanted to be with her. And you gave it away to be Galinda's friend.
I…I didn't love him then. And a friendship with Galinda is worth it. No more fighting, no more pain…for either of us. And she's nicer now.
Voices on the bridge interrupted Elphaba's thoughts. She hid herself under the bridge, looking up at the pairs of feet. Fashionable stilettos next to a man's flat shoes. Galinda's laugh. When had she gotten back? The feet faced each other, the lack of voices making what they were doing clear. Elphaba tried to keep herself from imagining her up on the bridge with Fiyero. Droplets began to fall, making small wet circles on the ground. The heels moved on, but the other shoes stayed in spite of rain, looking out off of the bridge for a few seconds, searching, before finally following the heels. They're happy. Elphaba came out from her hiding place. Would you destroy such happiness for your own gain? You can't.
"Miss Elphaba, there you are!" Madame Morrible's voice caused Elphaba to turn around. Bustling toward her, the headmistress held out an umbrella to keep the two of them dry. "Oh, Miss Elphaba, I finally heard back from the Wizard!"
"The Wizard?" Elphaba tried desperately to keep her voice from going high from excitement. All her dreams could come true, helping Oz and being celebrated!
"Yes, and he wishes to meet you!"
"He asked for me!?" This whole conversation kept getting better and better. First the Wizard responded, and now he wants to see her!
Yes! I know how devastated you are for our poor Doctor Dillamond, but I can assure you my dear, as one door closes…" She reached into her jacket and pulled out a shimmering green envelope "…another one opens." Elphaba took the envelope reverently, noticing slightly how her fingers blended into the paper, but not caring. This was from the Wizard!
"Madame, I don't know what to say! How can I ever thank you?" In her blind joy, she hugged her headmistress tightly, not caring that she didn't even know the older woman that well.
"Ah, careful, dear, or you'll get wet. Oh, I know…" Madame Morrible readjusted the umbrella, but then handed it to Elphaba and stepped out into the rain. She waved her hands majestically, and instantly the clouds parted and the sun shone brightly, adding to the wonderful feeling that nothing could possibly be wrong in all Oz. Elphaba looked on in amazement at her headmistress's talent.
"Didn't I tell you? Weather is my specialty." Madame Morrible took her umbrella and folded it up, placing one hand on Elphaba's shoulder. "OzSpeed, my dear! Make me proud!"
"I will!" Fingers trembling, she opened the envelope, removing a small slip of paper with deep green calligraphy.
'You are hereby summoned to the Emerald City by His Ozness, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, to meet him in person at the soonest possible date.' A green ribbon was sealed to the paper with wax and an official-looking stamp. Elphaba tried her hardest to not drop the letter for fear the mud would nullify it.
She'll finally be grand vizier to the Wizard…
Gushy gushy romanc-y chapter, but that's what I'm Not That Girl is all about. I don't think there's much to say, if you have any questions please say so in a review, which I know I'm going to get loads of. RIGHT:) Thank you all for sticking with me so long, and I am sorry I wasn't able to update before your boat trip, Bombalurinasara. Keep reading and writing! -LostOzian